It’s a novel about an ordinary teen living an unexpected life, and learning, as we all must do, how to keep moving forward. It doesn’t follow the typical YA romance structure. This book is no soap opera of tragic betrayals and unlikely events. It’s an introspective look at a difficult situation–a brother spending time in jail–while also closely examining more common and relatable themes: how to be a younger sibling without being overshadowed, how to deal with overprotective parents, how to secure the right kind and amount of attention every child deserves from their family and friends. Saint Anything is an exploration of family and blame, love and accountability. Sydney, her brother Peyton, and her friends Leyla and Mac, are complex and fully present in the story, and ultimately drive the plot forward with their development. This book starts a little slow it’s full of abstracts and background that feel somewhat forced, but past the first couple of chapters the story takes off with the usual atmosphere and depth of character that Sarah Dessen’s novels often employ. That’s why it’s not only important for us to be seen, but to have someone to look for us, as well.” “When faced with the scariest of things, all you want is to turn away, hide in your own invisible place. It isn’t quite enough for Sydney to forget what her brother has done, or even necessarily forgive him for the far-reaching consequences of his actions that have affected her own life, but it opens her eyes to change and reminds her that there’s more than one side to every situation.
The three become close friends, along with the rest of their group, and even Layla and Mac’s parents forge a healthy relationship with her that Sydney is lacking with her own parents.
Layla befriends Sydney immediately, but it’s Layla’s brother, Mac, who really catches Sydney’s attention. She thinks switching schools will give her the fresh start she needs, but really it’s the family at the pizza parlor across the street from her new school who make her see that there truly is more to her life than her brother. Even at home her parents only see her as another possible delinquent, when they see her at all. That’s the first thing anyone thinks when they look at her, and she can’t seem to escape his infamous legend of misbehavior. But I loved the carousel cover and it was the only one I hadn’t read–so I picked up Saint Anything last week.Ībout the book: Sydney’s brother is in jail. I almost didn’t even pick up Saint Anything because her last release, The Moon and More, didn’t impress me much. Honestly, I think nostalgia for how much I loved them at that time is a big part of the reason I keep reading them even past my YA contemporary appreciation days. I’ve been reading Sarah Dessen’s books since I was twelve years old.
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